A blog post by Earthworks warns three workers are feared to be dead while hundreds more are at risk of negative health impacts after multiple tailing dams collapsed in Indonesia Morowali Industrial Park (IMIP) on 16 March 2025.

Tailing facilities operated by PT Huayue Nickel Cobalt and PT QMB New Energy Materials were reported to have breached, resulting in water pollution; and health and safety hazards. Tailings from PT Huayue Nickel Cobalt’s storage facility allegedly flowed into the Bahadopi River and flooded facilities at IMIP putting the health of workers and residents at risk. Collapse of the tailings facility of PT Qing Mei Bang (QMB) New Energy Materials has allegedly resulted in the death of three workers.

Due to these incidents, the Indonesian government is called to review the licensing of tailings storage facilities and to evaluate Occupational Health and Safety standards at IMIP.

In April 2025, the Business & Human Rights Resource Centre attempted to invite PT Qing Mei Bang (QMB) New Energy Materials and PT Huayue Nickel Cobalt to respond.

Their responses are linked below.